Introduction

Windows 10 is the most used OS for desktops in the world, so it’s a big target for hackers.

IT professionals should get to know all the Windows 10 security tools they have at their disposal so they can protect users’ desktops. Options include native Windows 10 security tools and utilities such as Microsoft Windows Defender and Microsoft Security Compliance Toolkit. There are also third-party tools to supplement Windows’ native firewalls, encryption tools and more.

With so many Windows 10 security tools, IT pros may not know which ones they should choose. For IT pros to determine which aspects of security can rely on Windows 10’s native security tools and which cannot, they must learn the ins and outs of each option they have.

1Microsoft Windows Defender–

Use Windows Defender’s built-in security tools

First released in 2006 as an add-on to Windows XP, Microsoft expanded Windows Defender over the years to include several useful Windows 10 security tools. Windows Defender covers browser security, endpoint protection, application security and more. IT pros must decide which features to enable and rely on for their security and which Windows Defender features come up short of their needs.

Windows Defender is only effective as long as IT keeps its definitions — files that directly target new variants of malware — up to date. Microsoft Windows Update service and Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) can help IT accomplish this. Continue Reading

2Patching tools–

Shore up Windows 10 desktops with patch management

Late or absent desktop or application patches can create significant vulnerabilities. As a result, IT must find a way to deploy patches quickly, without causing compatibility issues with the desktop or other applications. The balance of testing patches for compatibility while still deploying them quickly is difficult for IT pros to strike — especially for organizations with many third-party applications. Microsoft’s native patching utilities, WSUS and System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM), don’t handle third-party application patches well. As a result, IT can turn to third-party tools to lighten the workload and fill in the gaps that Windows 10’s native patch management cannot.

IT shouldn’t leave any application-patching functions to their users, because they likely won’t understand the intricacies of the process. IT pros should use WSUS, SCCM and a third-party patching tool to remove the uncertainty from the patching process with automation. Continue Reading

3Data encryption and firewalls–

Get to know the options for firewall and encryption

Data encryption and firewalls are crucial for strong security. Firewalls are software that enforces a set of rules on data transactions within the network and between one network and another. Firewalls serve as the front line for all inputs and outputs for an organization’s network. Data encryption tools, which encode any data moving from one device to another, ensure that even if a hacker bypasses the firewall and accesses an organization’s data transfers, he can’t read the data without the decryption key.

4Windows 10 security quiz–

Do you understand the Windows 10 security tool market?

Windows Defender is not the only native Windows 10 security tool. Test your knowledge of Windows Defender and other native security options IT can use to lock down its organization’s endpoints.